NATIONAL POST: Inn at Manitou plated for New York

by Margaret Swaine | Sep 22, 2007

Inn at Manitou plated for New York
By Margaret Swaine

(National Post September 22, 2007)

Last summer one of the guests at Inn at Manitou in northern Ontario ended her stay with a proposition. A recruiter for the James Beard Foundation dinners in New York, she suggested the inn’s chef bring his team to the Big Apple to stage a dinner. That’s like a musician being asked to play Carnegie Hall. It’s an honour that’s as wonderful as it is terrifying.

The resort perched on the shores of Lake Manitouwabing near the tiny town of McKellar north of Parry Sound is remote but not unsophisticated. As a Relais & Chateaux member it’s part of an august group of about 450 hotels and restaurants in the world. The five “C’s” of the independent owner-operated Relais members are to provide character, courtesy, calm, charm and perhaps most importantly cuisine.

Ben and Sheila Wise opened their inn in 1974 as a small 16-room tennis resort next to a camp they owned. As the place expanded so did the kitchen which quickly became a launching ground for ambitious young chefs from Europe. As a summer resort they needed staff for only six months which meant hiring anew every year. To get the best they hired from abroad. A good number of chefs returned for several seasons eventually staying in Canada. The alumni such as J.P. Challet, Thomas Bellec, Oliver Boels, Philippe Couerdassier and Christophe Letard went on to head top restaurants about the country.

Hiring from overseas is definitely a Wise decision. Around their land of cranberry bogs, granite outcroppings and lakes one would be more likely to find a moose than professional service staff. Maids, spa therapists, waiters, sommeliers, tennis pros all sport accents from places such as Austria, Switzerland, Germany, Maldives, New Zealand, Vietnam, France and Ireland. The current chef Bernard Ibanez was born in Morocco from Spanish parents. He grew up in France sharpening his culinary talent in Michelin starred and Gault Millau recognized restaurants in Paris, Bordeaux and Cannes.

Now in his seventh season at Manitou, he winters wherever fancy and a job takes him. Le Yeti in Meribel France, Villa del Sol in Ixtapa Mexico, L’Esquinade in Mégeve, Chez Moi in Hong Kong and Shenzen China are duly noted in his resume. Wiry and angular with tobacco stained teeth, a scar criss-crossing his face and passionate flashing eyes, his gypsy life style matches his looks. His passion is the kitchen. At 51 years old, never married, no kids, “My job is my family” he said. “Every year I have five or six new children in the kitchen I need to look after,” he added referring to the constantly changing staff. (His girlfriend of the past two years is in Europe studying at hotel school.)

He works everyday with a few hours break in mid-afternoon. As a point of pride rather than a complaint he mentions that world renowned Spanish restaurant El Bulli, which also is seasonal, has 40 people in the kitchen and 20 working off-season in the lab to perfect dishes. He has no sous chef, his staff is young and few in numbers yet he manages to turn out an ever changing array of gourmet dishes. The menu changes completely nine times a week so guests (on all-inclusive three meal a day plans) won’t get bored. “With a new menu it feels like they’re in a different place,” said Ibanez.

All this will serve him well when he heads to New York October 18th to cook at James Beard House. The historic townhouse in Greenwich Village is the former home of James Beard, considered the father of American gastronomy. Beard penned many classic cookbooks, taught cooking and ran a gastronomical salon in this townhouse. Rather unimposing, the rooms are small – intimate in real estate parlance – and the kitchen tiny. This intimacy of being in Beard’s old domain creates an electric atmosphere for the public and Foundation members who attend the dinners. It also creates challenges for all who cook here.

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There are other challenges. The Beard House, now in its 20th year, has always had a mantra of celebrating local seasonal ingredients. They want out-of-town chefs to bring the bounty of their regions with them. The logistics of this can be daunting for those crossing country borders. Chefs are provided a letter from the Foundation, stating they are coming to do a charity dinner (proceeds go towards culinary scholarships and the like) and they will receive no compensation. Show this note to an understanding customs official and the knives, fish, meat, sauces and stocks in the transport van get through. (Chefs generally travel with their produce to ‘babysit’ it.) If they are unlucky something will get seized and they’ll have to improvise at the dinner.

In charge of logistics are Sheila Wise and daughter Jordanna. Jordanna ran the Manitou’s camp for twenty years and when it sold had retired to enjoy time with her three children. Four years ago when her father Ben died, she returned to help her mother run the inn. The two share a miniscule office and say of each other “She’s remarkable.” The harmony between the two is impressive and leaves no doubt they’ll have the supplies and shipping carefully orchestrated.

“We’re billed as a Relais and Chateaux Canadian event,” said Jordanna pointing out that produce will be consolidated from several key suppliers in eastern Canada. “It’s a little bit of luck that you get to the border and not get something turned away.” Foie gras will come from Quebec’s La Ferme along with Artisanal cheeses. The source for oysters and lobsters is still under debate. Chef wants to bring Ontario venison as is should be in season in October but wants to ensure its quality before he commits. He’s hoping to bring Canadian caviar but worries about getting it into the US.

The shopping list so far is 10 to 15 racks of venison, 25 lobsters, 160 oysters, two to three salmon, the Quebec cheeses, stocks, sauces and cases of Peninsula Ridge wines. Coming to help in the kitchen are station chef Sylvio Alonso , apprentice chef Virginie Valembois and Than Hoang pastry chef. But while the menu is finalized, the exact recipes and plate compositions are not. Chef is offering Manitou’s guests an opportunity to order the James Beard dinner at the inn from now until he leaves for New York in October. He wants to fine-tune the dishes, their tastes and presentation. In mid July Chef cooked the meal for the entire dining room of 90 people, close to the numbers he’ll cook on the Beard big night. With feedback from customers he’s tweaking his dishes. He plans to even up to the last moment to take advantage of the freshest seasonal crops.

The Peninsula Ridge wines from Ontario’s Niagara region are a definite. Burgundy born winemaker Jean-Pierre Colas has won many accolades for his elegant, well-structured wines that display their origins with accuracy and intensity. He’s hosted very popular winemakers weekends at Manitou for four years and has a fan in the Inn’s sommelier Eric Denis who hails from the same region in France. The wines Colas will present at the Beard dinner include a zippy single vineyard sauvignon blanc, a mellow minerally unoaked chardonnay reserve, an intriguing ratafia (grape juice fortified with plum liqueur) and an intense tangy riesling icewine.

The inn brings the food, wine and staff all at their own expense. They get no monetary compensation except for a small stipend of twenty dollars per guest. Performing in New York is done partly for the media attention and the recognition given in a mailing that goes to the four thousand Foundation members. Mainly however it is for the glory.

“It’s a fantastic adventure for us and for Bernard,” said Jordanna. “It’s nice to be in the same company as world caliber chefs.” The first professional chef to cook a Beard dinner was Wolfgang Puck when he was a young rising star. Charlie Trotter, Thomas Keller and many other icons of American cooking have graced the Beard kitchen since. “It’s a career achievement,” said Izabela Wojcik, Director of House Programming. “There’s a sentiment about making it in New York,” she added.

Ben Wise’s first career was on the stage. Now his family is carrying on in his spirit by taking their kitchen to perform in New York. “It’s a bit of theatre. My father was very theatrical,” said Jordanna. “It’s scary but it’s exciting.” No need to hold the applause. Appearing on this culinary stage says it all.

OTTAWA CITIZEN: Lovely in London – Idlewyld Inn

by Margaret Swaine | May 12, 2007

Lovely in London – Idlewyld Inn
By Margaret Swaine

(Ottawa Citizen May 12, 2007)

Some inns are a stronger draw than the cities that house them. Such is the case with Idlewyld Inn, an 1878 mansion in London Ontario that has been transformed into 23 unique guest suites. “Guests come here as a destination and then look for things to do,” said Christine Kropp who is proprietor with her husband John. Staying there I felt the inn helped me change my perceptions of London. Such was its appeal, after a conference instead of leaving this city on the Forks of the Thames, I stayed on and discovered the area.

The Idlewyld was originally the private home of Charles Smith Hyman, a renaissance man of the highest order. He was Mayor of London, a cabinet minister in Wilfred Laurier’s government, captain of Canada’s most successful cricket team and seven times Canadian men’s singles tennis champion. He’s also credited with introducing the game of bridge to Canada and late into the night I found guests at the inn playing cards in the parlour by the fireplace. It was a picture perfect homage to the world’s most revered card game.

I was wooed more by the elegance of the restoration, the magnificent antiques and the attention to period detail. I live in an 1828 restored home and know how much time, patience and money it takes to keep period while living modern. I noticed at the entrance a beautiful jewelled stained glass window above the door and found out it was painstakingly taken apart, fixed and reassembled. The gleaming exotic hand carved woods in the rooms all displayed the talented craftsmanship of days past. Not only were there doors, baseboards and doorframes in carved wood but also interior wood shutters that folded into the inside of the windowsills so they could be out of sight during the day.

Only people who really care about getting the past right would have gone to this kind of trouble and expense in restoration. I had to ask the couple about their own experience with the inn. When the Kropps bought the place four years ago it had already undergone many changes and been refurbished into a luxury inn. They told me they researched the inn’s past with an eye to restoring and expanding it perfectly in tune with its origins. They spent millions in the process.

The dining room for example had all new recreated beams that fit like a glove into the décor. “When a client sits down here I want them to feel like they are in the original building,” said John. Both John and Christine are accountants but John, the more gregarious and handy of the two looks after the food and beverage aspects of the inn, the construction and the marketing. Christine handles the day-to-day, accounting, packages and business development.

Period upholstery in muted greens, burgundy and gold graces the lounge. The couple spent months visiting manufacturers before they found the right one to make the dining room’s highback upholstered chairs (to be comfortable and absorb noise). Antique dealer and local character Bud Gowan helped them find the antiques. It’s been a dedicated labour of love. Yet Christine says, “Once we’re finished we’ll redecorate the rooms again,” noting that bathrooms and bedrooms need constant updating to stay current.
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For that very reason no room was like the other. Some had spanking new marble bathrooms with Jacuzzi tubs while others still needed an update. My room 202 despite an ordinary bathroom was lovely with its fireplace, three interior shuttered south facing bay windows and high ceiling. One of my favourite rooms was 301 on the top floor with slanted ceilings and turreted windows. Another gem, the west facing room 204 was large, with lots of original shutter windows and an air-jet soaker tub in the newly renovated bathroom.

The Kropps want the Idlewyld to get a five diamond rating for its food and have given executive chef Andrew Wolwowicz full reign to do the necessary to attain that status. Local meats and produce, fresh fish flown in from our coasts and wild game are on the menu. My sweet pepper soup with lobster was delicious and my hearty venison dish cooked to European standards. Breakfast which in summer can be taken outdoors on the patio is generous. For twelve dollars I had eggs Florentine with fruit, potato, toast, coffee and fresh made scones.

While in London I enjoyed an excellent Michel Tremblay play at the notable Grand Theatre (said to have a resident ghost), visited the Banting House and Eldon House both seeped in fascinating history and did a tour and tasting at the original Labatt Brewery. On Richmond Row I found great shopping, particularly lightening my wallet at Fisher & Company. As I drove away from the Idlewyld I felt gratitude that an inn had lead me to discover the special character of historic London, at the hub of a delightful circuit of small Ontario towns.

If You Go:
London is about a six hour drive from Ottawa. You can also travel by Via Rail (the station is just minutes away from the inn).
Where: Idlewyld Inn, 36 Grand Ave., London ON N6C 1K8. 1-877-435-3466. Website: www.idlewyldinn.com Email: innkeeper@idlewyldinn.com

Cost: Rooms rates vary according to room and season from $129. to $199. Dinner and breakfast package starts at $255.

Activities: The Idlewyld packages activities in the area including the Grand Theatre in winter, golf at London’s premium courses such as Firerock in summer and a “perfect elopement” package which includes wedding ceremony, couples massage and breakfast in bed. The Spa at Wortley Village is just two blocks away in the Old South area of London. Stratford, St. Mary’s, Port Stanley and other charming towns are less than an hour drive away.

OTTAWA CITIZEN: Where Detox Rocks, Hillcrest Inn and Spa

by Margaret Swaine | Jan 6, 2007

Hillcrest, A Valenova Inn and Spa
By Margaret Swaine

It was the detox program that first caught my eye. I’m at the age where every bite seems to stick to my frame and every drink whacks my brain. The program promised not weight loss but more internal hormonal balance and radiant skin. I signed up for the three nights at Hillcrest Inn and Spa as soon as I could clear the time.

I’m a spa junkie. This was one of many attempts to find a healthy bliss and it was virtually in my own backyard. Hillcrest is in the town of Port Hope, settled initially by Empire Loyalists in 1793. A river runs through it (the Ganaraska) which is still renowned for trout and salmon fishing. Nestled on the shores of Lake Ontario the town’s about an hour’s drive east of Toronto. At its centre is the best-preserved 19th century Victorian streetscape in Ontario. Its Capital Theatre is the only ‘atmospheric’ theatre left in Canada. Naturally the town is also known for its antique shops.

When I arrived at Hillcrest, I was delighted to see the inn built in 1874 by the Worts (of Gooderham and Worts) was even more impressive and architecturally gorgeous than in the brochure. I was greeted like an old friend with smiles and lavender cookies. Simone Beitler, the spa manager came out to tell me about my program. I was then handed my special Dr. Hauschka products – digestive cleansing capsules to take after meals, silica powder with bee pollen in the morning and an immune boosting elixir all made from biodynamic ingredients. Next Chef Jon Hosick emerged from the kitchen to talk about my food preferences. I found out he apprenticed at another great Ontario health Spa, Tapatoo where I’d much enjoyed the meals of their chef Roy Hintz. The days ahead looked very sunny indeed.

“The guests I have in significantly affect the menu,” said Chef Hosick, a 24-year-old dynamo who’s very obviously passionate about cooking. He explained he always discusses meals with the guests and tailors his menus accordingly. Want ostrich? Bison? You’ll get it before you leave. Most everything is made in-house from as much local and organic produce as available. Meats are growth hormone and antibiotic free. My detox friendly dishes were put on the menu for me or for that matter any other guest to select.

A strict lacto-vegetarian diet that also avoids refined sugars for at least six to eight weeks is part of Dr. Hauschka detox program. While animal protein including eggs was out, we decided fish would be okay. While at the inn I found the diet a snap to follow. (It was when I left this nurturing environment that my struggles to follow the plan began.) In the hands of Chef Hosick I enjoyed such dishes as pan-seared black cod, trio of sashimi tuna, candy cane beet and chèvre salad, juniper parsnip soup and summer berries with nuts. The food was consistently delicious and creative.
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The nine rooms in this spacious high-ceiling home have unique charms. Mine, called the Laura Margaret (after the owner’s mother) had bay windows and coral floral motive. From its walkout balcony I gazed upon the pool and the 15 acres of forests. Lake Ontario glittered away in the distance. The Valenova Suite on the top floor with its 1000 square feet of comfort, private outdoor hot tub and widow’s walk has proven to be very popular with large families or small groups of women. The inn holds a maximum of 26 people and will allow a group of 15 or more to rent the entire place. During my stay I saw couples and small groups of four or six women and a few singles like me. It was always quiet and relaxing.

My detox program included four signature treatments in the spa. Day one I had a Dr. Hauschka Dry Brush and detoxifying bath. Under the expert hands of Anjum, I was scrubbed from head to toe until my skin shone like a baby’s. Then I was immersed in a herb oil infused detox bath. The next day I had a lymphatic treatment wherein Anjum applied reflexology pressure to great effect on my feet and hands. She later wrapped my feet in hot compresses while massaging my face and neck. The treatment lasted for 90 minutes of bliss. The moor mud stone wrap and pine bath was warming, relaxing and left my skin silky smooth. Simone’s Dr. Hauschka’s classical skin care facial began with a sage foot bath and continued for a 90 minutes of massage, lymphatic stimulation and colour therapy. I found the treatments so enjoyable I paid for an additional one, an abdominal chi massage expertly given by Ed.

I left the Hillcrest muscles relaxed, skin glowing and my mind cleared of stress. The effect lasted at least for several weeks. Now after holiday time stress and excess I want to return. This is a destination spa that beckons you back for ever longer stays.

If You Go: The Hillcrest Victorian Inn, is about three and a half hours drive from Ottawa at 175 Dorset St. West, Port Hope ON L1A 1G4.
Phone: 1-888-253-0065 info@thehillcrest.ca www.thehillcrest.ca
The Detox program costs $1795 per person and is available Sunday-Thursday nights. It includes all meals, four signature treatments, supplies of Elixir, Bee Pollen and Digestive Cleansing Capsules. Use of all facilites including pool, saunas, hot tubs and fitness facilities is part of the package.

OTTAWA CITIZEN: Yin & yang: What’s your style in wine country?

by Margaret Swaine | Sep 23, 2006

The Charles Inn and Shaw Club Hotel – The Antique and The Modern
By Margaret Swaine

The opening of Shaw Club Hotel in picturesque Niagara-on-the-Lake is the yang to the yin of sister hotel The Charles Inn. Both are owned and operated by hotelier Sue Murray yet are as different as Judi Dench and Hilary Swank. The Charles, an antique filled renovated home built in 1832 appeals to history lovers with its old world charm. The Shaw Club is sleekly modern, nestled in a former motel whose dowdiness was totally gutted. The duo both have lovely dining rooms and central locations so where to bed is a matter of personal taste.

Niagara-on-the-Lake, the first capital of Upper Canada, is the quiet pretty cousin to garish bustling Niagara Falls. (It was settled in the late 1700’s by Loyalists coming to Upper Canada.) This bucolic small town is the perfect escape from city hustle. The sidewalks roll up by about nine at night. Those exiting from the theatres during Shaw Festival time create the only night time buzz apart from the bar at the Angel Inn. During the day however at this time of year in the fall, there are wine festivals and winery tours, golf, country walks, boating, cycling and until mid November, Shaw Theatre performances.

Shaw Club which opened in June of this year is the new kid on the block at the corner of Picton – Niagara’s main drag – and Wellington. Directly across from the Shaw Festival Theatre it’s at the heart of the town’s action. While Murray’s first hotel, The Harbour House built in 2003, is also modern this knocks contemporary up to a sophistication not offered before in NOTL. All the hallmarks of an upscale boutique hotel are standard features in the renovated rooms. This includes flat screen TV’s (with mini versions in the bathrooms), slate and marble tiles, hip décor, cool glass showers with oversized multi-headed faucets, complementary wireless internet and iPod stations. For comfort there are 300 count linens, down duvets, in-room coffee machine, fridge and even a pillow library for those who prefer other than the standard-issue five down-feather pillows.

The rooms’ colour scheme is urban chic. Muted off-white tones like sand or almond on the walls or light grey patterned carpets are accented with dark brown wood furniture and the occasional punch of orange, bronze or red in a cushion or table tray. The ‘classic king’ rooms are cozy compact. For those who need a tad more space there are deluxe and superior kings with balconies and one suite. Those on a tight budget can opt for the unrenovated rooms in a separate building but then will forgo the cool gizmos.

Most of the hotel’s exterior is stark to the point of drab. At the front however is the lively Zee’s Patio and Grill with a charming wrap around verandah that’s heated so people can and do sit outside up until December. Zee’s is laid back enough for guests to be comfortable in casual slacks yet with the pizzazz to draw honeymooners, babymooners and birthday celebrants. Chef Ross Midgley adds a little twist to every dish so what’s served is not quite as expected. Caesar salad comes deconstructed on a dish shaped like a painter’s palette. The croutons, parmesan, hard-boiled egg, dressing and bacon surround the romaine ready to add in according to taste. Pop tarts are tomato and raclette cheese with basil pesto and tapenade baked in a light crust. Peppercorn seared tuna is served on baco noir vinaigrette dressed Niagara greens with a side of melon gazpacho. Local produce is a feature as is Niagara wine with five local whites and five reds by the glass. The plates and serving props are so cool that people want to buy them and do. Two doors down is “Et Tu” store which sells the hotels most popular items.

Going further down the road Picton becomes Queen Street and there at the corner of Simcoe sits The Charles Inn. Permeated with history, this was the home of settler Charles Richardson, a member of parliament for English Upper Canada. Its Georgian architecture remains easily recognizable, while the sweeping verandahs and servants’ wing on the east were added at the turn of the century. Totally refurbished in 2004 with many bathrooms redone again last winter (rain showers, heated floors and other perks added), it’s intimate and charming with plenty of quirks.

Each of its 12 rooms is different in décor, size and atmosphere. There’s no elevator and the climb to the third floor Safari Loft is steep. However this attic hideaway is a guest favourite and I personally loved its pitched ceilings and cozy seclusion. The Apple room (#11) and Sunflower room (#12) are tiny. Their lovely bathrooms are their best feature. The Verandah room (#1) a preferred choice, has parts of the old kitchen including the original cook’s fireplace, a private verandah and a Jacuzzi tub. The Daisy Room (#8) is bright and cozy with three large windows peering onto the gardens. The choice of room does make a difference so check the details on the website or over the phone carefully. I saw one American couple whose room wasn’t to their taste check out early while I was at the hotel.

The dining under Chef William Brunyansky is French contemporary with regional influences. Fish in a wine sauce reduction might have a ragout of fresh local vegetables for example. The wine list offers a well-chosen array of Niagara wines. The elegant dining room, painted in a warm persimmon colour is located in the old parlour and still features its original crystal chandeliers. It’s more formal and quieter than Zee’s and guests tend to dress up. Guests of all of Sue Murray’s hotels can eat at any of the restaurants and charge the meal to their room. (Dine around packages are an option.) Breakfast at the Charles on the verandah overlooking the old nine hole Niagara golf course (established in 1875, the oldest in North America) is old world charming and new world filling – especially if you go for one of the three egg omelettes. Whether you stay at the Charles or the Shaw, have a bite or a drink at the other. These opposite poles have their singular attractions.

If You Go (Niagara is a seven hour drive from Ottawa)
Where: Shaw Club, 92 Picton Street, Niagara-on-the-Lake ON L0S 1J0 1-800-511-7070
Charles Inn, 209 Queen Street, Niagara-on-the-Lake ON L0S 1J0 1-800-556-8883
Cost: Shaw Club – Zee’s dinner package (overnight, dinner & breakfast) from $176 per day based on two days. Shaw Theatre package (dinner at Zee’s, theatre, overnight & breakfast) from $335. Unrenovated rooms from $150, classic kings from $185 up to $450 for suites with balcony. Charles Inn – starts at $195 for the Apple and Sunflower rooms up to $310 for the Verandah room (overnight and breakfast). Dinner and theatre packages are available.
Website: www.shawclub.com and www.charlesinn.ca
Activities: Shaw Festival www.shawfest.com Golf www.niagaraparksgolf.com, www.notlgolf.com and https://www.grandniagaragolf.com/ Shopping www.niagaraonthelake.com Wineries www.winecountryontario.ca Winery Tours www.niagaraworldwinetours.com Cycling www.zoomleisure.com 

OTTAWA CITIZEN: Nearly heaven, Laurentians spa resort close to divine

by Margaret Swaine | Dec 24, 2005

Stonehaven Relais & Spa
By Margaret Swaine

Few hotels are exalted enough to be called divine, but Stonehaven Relais & Spa comes close to heaven for a few reasons. Built in the early 1900s as a private residence, it spent most of its life as a monastery for the Oblate fathers. The fathers clearly knew how to pick a godly location. It’s on 425 gorgeous, tranquil acres overlooking Lac des Sables near Ste. Agathe. The silence and peace of the place, far from traffic and city bustle, soothes the soul. For earthy pleasures there are outdoor hot baths, a multitude of spa treatments and fine dining overlooking the lake.

Stonehaven started its life as the country mansion of Douglas Lorne McGibbon who made his fortune from the rubber industry. It took over 200 workers and five years to complete McGibbon’s haven of stones in 1909. Modeled after properties found in Scotland, it had gardens, water purification systems, guesthouses, stables, a henhouse and a vegetable cellar. The Oblate fathers took ownership in 1933, preserving much of the original infrastructure while adapting it to their needs. Its newest owners, Yves and Andrée Langlois reopened it as a hotel and spa in October of 2004 spending close to $9 million on renovations. Stones were salvaged from a fireplace found on the land, materials matching originals were used, the cable molding that decorated the ceilings was restored and the formal gardens were reborn.

The 30 hotel rooms are charming albeit the smallest are quite snug. Six have original wood-burning fireplaces. I booked a two-bed room as I was sharing with a girlfriend. An unusual L shape, its sloped ceilings outlined its end of the wing under the roof location, but the overall space was large and its windows peaked onto the lake. The beds were sumptuous with goose feather duvets and soft down pillows. We both had the blessed deep sleep normally reserved for babies or the dead.

Aspects of the spa are unique. The 16 treatment rooms are the former monk’s quarters, many with great views and their own private bathrooms. When I had the spa’s signature ‘maple scrub’ and wrap, I requested the window drapes be left open to fully enjoy the sun streaming in. The smell of the maple sugar filled the room, reminding me of childhood days at sugar shacks in spring. Another divine experience. The spa offers a full line of services including Swedish, Thai and Shiatsu massages, body wraps, hydrotherapies, facials, waxing, manicures and pedicures. On the top floor of the building is a large, window wrapped solarium and relaxation room. It’s perfect for lounging before and after treatments while sipping on hot tea, mineral water or munching the fruits available for the taking.

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The resort’s restaurant Granité is part of Quebec’s “Gourmet” trail. Chef Marc Vinet from Ottawa was a gold medalist at the1996 Culinary Arts Show in the city and he uses mostly local, organic produce. Chef Vinet refined his talents at Centro restaurant in Toronto, Ottawa’s National Art Centre and other places, even preparing meals for the Governor General and 24 Sussex. Appetizers currently on the menu include rabbit/wild mushroom terrine and organic bison carpaccio and for mains pan-seared Quebec lamb medallion with melted goat cheese and pavé of wild elk. I found chef Vinet to be a tad timid on the seasonings for my preference but great on the cooking technique, top notch ingredients and presentation. The wine list included some Quebec wines as well as good international choices.

The Laurentians is a perfect place for winter activities. On the resort site itself are over 25 kilometres of marked trails for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. A half hour drive north is the best alpine skiing in eastern Canada at Mont Tremblant. Opening end of December at Mont Tremblant Resort this winter is a unique lounge: The N’Ice Club. This Ice Hotel Québec-Canada realization, will give visitors an original way to enjoy après-ski “on the rocks”. Made entirely of snow and ice, the 4200 square foot arched structure will require 1600 tons of snow and 100 tons of ice. Also close to Stonehaven are other down-hill ski resorts, each with their own charms. Nearby Ste. Agathe is a pretty town with a selection of good restaurants. You may, however, find this refuge so sublime you don’t want to leave the fold.

If YOU GO Where: It’s two hours drive from Ottawa along easy highways and some rural roads or 45 minutes north of Montreal. At 40 chemin du Lac des Sables, Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts, Laurentians, Quebec. Cost: Lodging with breakfast starts at $69 based on double occupancy. The five course table d’hôte dinner is $42.95 per person. Eternity Packages (accommodation, one breakfast, one five-course dinner, one spa treatment and access to the baths) start at $199 per person per night. A special New Year’s Eve package is available at $320 per person. Contacts: Phone toll free 1-866-333-7777 or 819-324-1200. Email: reservations@stonehavenrelaisspa.com Website: www.StonehavenRelaisSpa.com
It’s a four star certified member of the newly formed 17 property Spa Relais Santé of Quebec website: www.spasrelaissante.com Toll free phone: 1-800-788-7594
The Laurentians: www.Laurentides.com Tremblant Region: https://www.mont-tremblant.ca/en